DURING THE MONTH of January in Northwest Ohio, the air temperature is typically frigid and a blanket of snow often covers the ground. The snow and ice can make for some invigorating outdoor activities—as well as provide a good excuse to cuddle by the fire indoors while enjoying a warm cup of cocoa and a little family fun.
The month of January is named for Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, which is fitting since so many of us start the new calendar year with life-changing New Year’s resolutions.
January includes many observances, such as National Hobby Month, National Mentoring Month, and National Hangover Month! There are also many “food days,” and since we’re all about the food, let’s talk about National Black Eyed Pea Month, National Soup Month, Swiss Cheese Day, Cream Puff Day, Fruitcake Toss Day, Spaghetti Day, Bean Day, Glazed Donut Day, and Bagel Day.
Some special days do not have an exact date but occur during the month, such as National Weigh-In Day the first week of January. (It's not a bad idea to check your weight after all the holiday shenanigans.) Then, appropriately enough, there is Healthy Weight, Healthy Look Day the second week of January.
But getting back to food, January is a greattimetolookatwhatyouareeating, how those food choices are working for you, and perhaps whether some changes are needed. For example, if you’regettingaventicaramelmacchiato coffee with a bagel and cream cheese every day and wondering why you’re notseeingmovementonthescale,some changes are in order. Perhaps you can orderagrandewithskimmilkandonly one pump of syrup, skip the bagel, and make a packet of oatmeal instead. I’m talking about simple changes that can make a difference here. Whatever your healthy eating goals may be for 2024, there are always ways to make your favorite foods a little healthier.
Always start out with a goal, whether it’s weight loss, weight maintenance, getting stronger, or looking better in clothes. Then planning comes in—how are you going to achieve your goal? Is it by eating better? Perhaps meal prepping for the week on Sundays? Doing online workouts? You have to find an approach that works for you. If you are not a “join the gym” type of person, then find alternate ways to work out. Use the health app on your phone or look for other health apps that can help you develop an eating and exercise plan. Write your plan down!
Start simple by aiming for five fruits and/or vegetables per day. That would be one piece of fruit at each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), a vegetable at lunch, and a salad and cooked vegetable at dinner. That is actually six servings and not that hard to do.
Once you have tackled that, try aiming for 10,000 steps a day. Keep hand weights by the TV so you can work out during the commercials. Simple biceps and triceps arm curls can give you a good upper body workout. I call it the “Couch Potato Workout.”
Sounds so simple, right? It certainly can be, but whatever your health and fitness goals may be, the most important thing is to plan and be realistic. You are not going to lose 20 pounds in two weeks, and you are not going to change a lifetime of bad eating habits overnight. Any changes you make should be slow and gradual so they become established.
Look for new and different healthy recipes, perhaps using fun new foods you have never tried before. Of course, moderation is the key word here. Eating healthy on most days is the goal, and there is always room for Glazed Donut Day!
Have fun celebrating all of January’s national days and happy 2024!
LaurieSyring,RDN/LD,isClinicalNutrition Manager at ProMedica Flower Hospital. ✲
